What Time Is It in Southeast Asia?

This is an actual conversation that occurred in the car today as we headed to East Texas to cut down our Christmas tree.

Jack was sound asleep in the back seat.

He pops his head up and says, "Mommy, what time is it in Southeast Asia?"

Jon and I just look at each other.

Jon: "3:15am, buddy"

Jack: "Oh"

End of conversation.

I think that might have been quite possibly the funniest random conversation I have ever been involved in.

Lunch for Life

Hi everyone! Our good NB friend Erin posted about the Lunch for Life program. This is a program that is a fundraiser for the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation. The money they raise goes to fund neuroblastmoa research.

Each year, they do a fundraiser where children can sign up to have a virtual tree. You can "give up a lunch" ($5, $10, whatever you would spend) and donate it to help fund research to save a life like Eva's. For every $5 you donate, Eva gets an ornament for her "tree."

Here’s how it works: Eva has her own virtual giving tree, and your donations will decorate those trees with ornaments and (ultimately) presents. Every donation has three effects: 1) Eva's tree receives 1 ornament for every $5 you donate; 2) every donation generates a Giving Code which can get you bonus ornaments when your friends type it in; and 3) each ornament placed on a Eva's tree creates one entry for Eva into our Disney World giveaway.

For example, if I donate $15 to Eva's tree, then that places 3 ornaments on her tree, creates 3 contest entries for Eva, and generates a Giving Code for me to pass along. When a tree is full (500 ornaments), those ornaments transform into a present underneath that tree, and the decoration process begins all over again.

To donate, go to Eva's Lunch for Life website
Our Giving Code is 31557

Here's your shot to eat healthier by bringing lunch from home AND help children like Eva fight.

Thank you all so much for your support.

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!

When I got home from work this afternoon, Jack and Eva wanted to play "Mommy is a Jungle Gym."

Although I usually end up kicked in the face on multiple occasions, battered and bruised, I'm usually ok with this little game. It makes the kids very happy and since I'm always trying to find ways to get though the 5:30-7:00pm "witching hour", I agreed today.

What does "Mommy is a Jungle Gym" entail? Let's tackle Mom. Let's smack Mom with a pillow. Let's try to hang on to Mom's legs while she tries to walk away. Let's tag team dangling from Mom's appendages.

Anyway, back to the bed. Mommy is a Jungle Gym led to a pretty raucous game of hide and seek. I'm a great hider. The kids are horrible seekers.

Jack found me on the bed and went to jump on top of me. When I leapt to catch him to prevent his 45lb solid body from landing on my head, I landed on the corner of our bed. CRASH!

Broken.

I broke my own bed while playing with the kids today. Not a little bit broken. REALLY broken. Like Jon's sleeping on the couch because he will roll off the bed broken. Like we need a new bed broken.

Bummer.

Oh, Man, My Sister and I Do Have Way Too Much Time

Here's what my sister visiting + kids napping + cold weather + nothing on TV =

Thoughts on a Saturday...

Good Morning, friends.

I'm just sitting here on the computer on a cool Saturday morning. Jon has taken the kids to his sister's house for breakfast so that I could sleep in. Sadly, since I go to work at 5 am, 7:40 IS sleeping in. So, I'm up sitting on the computer and catching up on my reading that I have ignored for the past two months.

I can't believe how time has flown by. We would just go week to week with this chemo thing. Week one, chemo in hospital/doctor's office. This was immediately followed by nights of vomiting and waking up every two hours for diaper changes. Week two, Eva crashes. Maybe another hospital stay/transfusion, maybe not. Week three. Normalcy. That week went by fast. Then, back again to chemo and start over.

Meanwhile, trying to maintain my work and Jack. Pretty much all free time was at home with family and in bed by 8. As it should be, I guess.

We made leaf piles, went to the State Fair, baked cupcakes, rode bikes, played hide and seek, had dance parties.... Now that I think about it, maybe it was not so bad, after all. I mean, except for the vomiting, weakness, hair loss, extreme diaper rash and hospitalizations, maybe having a Fall at home was ok.

Back to today. I have nothing planned for today at all. It has been so long since I've been faced with a Saturday with NO plans. No soccer, no birthday parties, nothing. My work email is even down for the next two days due to maintenance. I can't even do that!

As a matter of fact, my biggest decision that I have to make right now is whether or not to eat the awesome stuffing my husband made for Thanksgiving for breakfast cold or hot. Oh, and sweet potatoes, they are like hash browns, right? Anyone want to weigh in?

Happy End of Chemo Day!

Just some shots of tonight's celebration. Thank you so much to my father-in-law who made the MOST incredible meal! All my favorites: Oyster loaf, BBQ shrimp, gumbo, shrimp and crab salad.... ahh... This was followed by the No More Chemo Celebration!

What Happens When My Sister and I Have Too Much Time on Our Hands

My Blog Type

My BFF, Jana, over at PoetMom had this link and I went ahead to check my blog type.

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

I gotta say, just as Jana says, I am my blog. Maybe minus the plan ahead part, two kids, you gotta stay ahead of things. But I sure am exhausted.

No More Medicine!

Here's a shot of Eva today at the doctor's office. Today was day 3 of Round 4 or THE LAST DAY OF CHEMO!!!!!!

Today, when the nurse de-accessed her port, Eva looked at her and said, "No more medicine?" I said, "NO! NO MORE MEDICINE!!"

Now, I know how these things go. We may be right back here doing chemo again in January but for now, we are finished for the foreseeable future and that is worth celebrating!!!!

Break out the champagne!

Way to go Super Eva!!!

Back from the Great Unknown

Well, here I am sitting in the doctor's office. Eva is asleep in the crib next to me. We are on Day 1 of our fourth round of chemo. If all goes well, this will be the last round we'll ever need. Obviously, someone up above has his own plans but here's to hoping!

It has been so long since I've updated my blog on a regular basis. To be honest, I'm just exhausted. I go to work at this insane hour, work 11 hr days five days per week, and then go to bed around 8pm every night. I've also had family in town for Eva so when I am home and up late, I'm just with them. Excuses, excuses, I guess. Time to get back on the train.

Also, since my Dyda passed away, I've just not been feeling very creative. I miss him terribly. That week was such a blur with Eva in the hospital with an infected port. I figured out that I slept in seven different beds in 10 days. When I got back from Virginia from the funeral, that first night, I freaked out when Jon came to bed. I thought I was in a hotel room by myself and had no idea why this MAN was climbing into bed!!! YIKES!!!

As Jon wrote last week, Eva is doing great. She is just the funniest and happiest person you can meet. Today, we're here and SAVED by my dear cousins who sent Eva her very own Imagination Movers DVD that they taped from the television. We're all Movers all the time and having 10 episodes at our disposal makes quite the happy child. THANK YOU BROWDERS!

Jack is also fine. Just his usual hyper, hilarious, outgoing self. Nothing really to write about him.

Anyway, that's the quick update on us. I've also finally gotten our house wireless so Jon and I can BOTH work at the same time (YEAH) and not have to work in the kitchen attached to the wall. That alone was a drain on creativity!

I hope you are all well. More to come. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers!

A Note from Jon

This was sent from my hubby yesterday. Thought it summed things up nicely.

Eva had a “check under the hood” appointment today, and all is well. Her blood counts are excellent, and she’s even gaining weight, hitting 28.2 lbs. We are good to go for Round 4 of chemo starting Monday. It will be 3 days of chemo, then 3 weeks of recovery. In mid-December, we will do an MRI to assess the tumor and our next steps. Options include:

1. More chemo
2. Surgery to remove the tumor
3. Nothing (MRIs every so often to watch and see)

I must say the farther we go, the more I am impressed by how damn tough Eva is becoming. When they stabbed her to take blood today, she didn’t cry, wince, jerk her hand, nothing. Stone cold face, watching intensely as the blood drops went into the vial. Man, maybe others would say, “so what, that’s normal”, but it gets me every time.

Ahhhhh!!!

I can't believe that a week has gone by since last I posted! I have so much to write but just no time or energy to do it. I promise that tonight, I'll go to bed early and get some rest so that tomorrow night, I can do a proper post.

THAT SAID!

Here's where we are:

Had round 3 of chemo last week. Finally saw the pictures of the MRI. The tumor that was four inches long has been reduced to one inch!!!! The other tumor is GONE! This is just after two rounds of chemo. We have two more!

Got through all the vomiting with this round. All went well. Her counts are up so we're coasting a bit for the next two weeks (hopefully...please God?) and then the final round the week of Thanksgiving.

Ok, have to run, I'm fading FAST. These 5am work days are tough!

Markedly Decreased

Well, I'm pretty sure that when you see the words "markedly decreased" on an MRI report, it is good news!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Neither the doctor nor we have seen the actual pictures yet. We won't see them until Thursday but the doctor says that he very rarely sees those words on a radiology report.

So, we're proceeding as planned to finish this chemo!!! This is the best possible news that we could have ever hoped for.

Jon and I have one of the child life specialists coming to watch Eva while we go vote for a bit. But we are just flying high....

Round 3

Greetings, again, from our home away from home, Medical City, also known as the chocolate thunder cake lovefest. We're here for our third round of chemo until Wednesday.

It has been quite a ten days. When I have time tomorrow, I'll write a confession to try to summarize.

The big news for us is that Eva just had an MRI to determine if the chemo is working. If it is, we'll keep plugging along. If not, well, I don't know what we'll do. We'll find out the results tomorrow. I can only hope for the best but to be honest, it is a bit nerve racking to have all the MRI techs look at you with their cocked heads and furrowed brows and say, "Oooh, best of luck to you. She's on our prayer list." That can't be good.

Oh, and in other news, they cultured Eva's port on Friday and it grew something again! She seems perfectly healthy so they think it might be contaminated. Here's to hoping.

Longer post tomorrow when I get back after voting!!!!

We're Home!

We're all home at last!

Got back from North Carolina on Monday and broke Eva out of the hospital! Wahoo! She's doing just fine! They sent us home with IV antibiotics, which Jon and I I get to administer but still, we're home.

Things are still set for Monday's chemo. We are going to check into the hospital for the night, get an MRI and get chemo on Monday and Tuesday. Then, we go home.

I'm heading to Norfolk tomorrow for Dyda's funeral. Strange, I feel such at peace about it. I think that all the crying was such a release of all the tension I had been carrying for so long. I really feel better. Dyda, thanks, again!

Going to miss Halloween, which saddens me deeply. It is my favorite holiday outside of christmas. I always put on this witch hat and answer the door while Jon takes the kids out trick or treating. I sure love to see all the kids in their costumes! Alas, I will miss it.

That's about it. I'm up because I have to change Eva's medicine but I sure can't wait to go to bed!

A Love Letter

Dear Dyda,

Well, I always knew someday I would write this letter to you. I had just hoped that it would be a bit longer until I did. Alas, God had other plans.

You see, I have always considered myself one of the luckiest persons ever to be to not only have one incredible father, but two. Bama and you were like the extra set of parents any gal of seven siblings needed. Not only were you MY grandfather, but you managed to adopt just about every friend that I have ever had. Nearly all my friends tell me that they have always considered you THEIR granfather, as well.

All my earliest memories have you in it. Dyda, you I often think of those weekends in Snug Harbor, all the kids running around, you on those mini-bikes and dazzling us all with your ability to water ski. You, Daddy and Uncle Denny shooting off your firework display for the cheering audience each Forth of July remains the highlight of my childhood. You had infinite patience with those rugrats running about climbing on your things, breaking your things, moving your things. Maybe you didn't, really, but it sure felt like you did to us.

As I got older, my relationship with you just blossomed. I cannot remember any situation that I might have found myself in during my teen years that I did not tell you and Bama. As a matter of fact, I remember very clearly driving home late one Friday night when I was in high school. I was pulled over for the first of my many speeding tickets. The police officer said, "Well, Missy, where are you coming from at this late hour?" I said, "My Grandparent's house". He said, "Yeah, right. On a Friday night?" I was like, "Yeah, where else would I be?" He let me off (so thank you for that, by the way).

When life got tough in Atlanta, you opened your home to me so that I could finish school in my mid-twenties. That time, our "roomie" time, means more to me than I can say. You saw me through many boyfriends (most of whom you hated but would NEVER let me know until we broke up!) but we always kept our Thursday night date nights at the Arby's. Why did I need a boyfriend when I had my main squeeze at home?

I also remember our Jeopardy nights when I had to work the night shift. I would take my 15 minute break just at the end of Jeopardy so we could play our little game, Guess the Final Jeopardy Answer Based Only on the Category. Maybe we should have thought of a better title for that game. But, nonetheless, your answer to my answer was always the same. "Oh, no, no, no, that's too obvious!"

I was also in awe of your ablity to fix anything. Anything at all. I would come home with my car "acting funny", a few minutes later, it was fine. I used a hairdryer that you rewired and rigged with duct tape for about 7 years. Even when your sight was failing, you were a marvelous instructor. "See that red line, cut it." "Uh, seriously, Dyda? I'm not a mechanic at all." "Dahlin' cut it!" Ok! All was always well.

As I got married and moved to Dallas, distance separated us, again, but not certainly in my heart. Dyda, seeing you with Bama has always served as my role model for a perfect marriage. You were two people who loved each other desperately, always respectful of each other and had ability to make the other laugh so hard! You two were truly a united front, a force to be reckoned with. Now that I am married, I know that took such hard work but you two made it look so easy.

Dyda, more than anything, I'll miss seeing your wonderful face and hearing those words, "Hi Daaahhhhlin', Hi Sugar Baby!!!!" as I enter the room.

I know you are up there with Bama, Uncle Denny, your Dad, Mom and brother, Alice, and all those whom you have loved. We got you for 93 years, so, I guess it is just their turn.

I love you so much, my handsome fella.

Always,
Your Roomie

Settling in for the Long Haul

Well, it looks like we're going to be here for a while.

Dr. Goldman came in this morning and told us that she did, indeed, grow staff in the culture. What that means is that we need to give her IV antibiotics to get this under control in order to save her port.

He told us that we were going to be here until the culture came back negative and then seven days after that. So, the earliest we can go home is next Friday. He did say that if her counts were up, we might be able to negotiate going home next Monday with an at home nurse. Maybe. So, that's what we're hoping for.

Good news about being in the hospital? Chocolate Thunder Cake. I mean, really, let's look at the bright side, shall we? What do they put in that little bit of deliciousness? It is a fork full of heaven.

A Little Update

Just a quick update.

Eva had a rough night. Jon was with her because I had a Board meeting this afternoon. When I left last night, she was just this little limp bit of nothin', clinging to Jon and me.

This morning, they found that her cultures grew a staff (they think) infection. So, they changed her antibiotics. They also found that her counts were low on all around so this afternoon, they gave her a transfusion.

She's MUCH better now, almost back to her old self.

Here's the bottom line, we're here for a while. The doctor said we could leave Monday at the earliest. So, we're settling on in.

Thanks so much for all your notes, thoughts and prayers!!

Oh, how quickly things change!

Well, had fully prepared to come home and write a silly confessional, my first in a bit. However, Nubbin had something else in mind.

Mother is here and when I walked in the door, she said that she thought Eva felt warm. She had taken her temp and it was 99. I took her temp, it was 101. Off to the hospital.

So, that's where we are for the next couple of days while they try to find out why her fever is spiking.

Yesterday, Jon took her to the doctor. I thought for sure her counts were high because Monday, on her birthday, she literally ran in the yard for 40 solid minutes while the family played freeze tag. Turns out that her WBC was .8 (should be 4.0-11.0) and her ANC was 0. The doctor told Jon just to keep doing the neupogen shots and keep her on at home lock down until Friday. Well, that plan just did not work.

Last night, you would never know she was the same gal who ran in circles just 24 hours ago.

She'll be ok, we just have to find out what is causing the fever.

More to come!

Happy Birthday to Eva Squared!

Happy Birthday to my two favorite Eva's!!!!

Eva is a big 2 and Grandma Eva, well, she's a little older!

I'm way too emotional about these two gals to write much more other than I love them both more than I can say.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Yuktoberfest!

My pal, Laura, over at Catholic Teacher Musings asked for a Bad Haiku Friday Festival, here's my entry.

At the pumpkin patch,

Jack and Eva make their choice.

No rotting gourds, please.

Transfusion-Free Friday!

Well, it's a new holiday, Transfusion-Free Friday!

Took Eva to the dr. and her counts were terrific! I'm sure it has lots to do with the neupogen shots and they think that they might have to transfuse on Tuesday but for now, we'll celebrate OUR holiday!

I'm so happy her counts are so good as we're heading into her birthday weekend. Mother is here (hooray!) and it is just so fun to watch the two of them have fun at the next table while I work.

Happy Transfusion-Free Friday, everyone!

Hot Fuzz

When Eva was very little, Jack always called her Fuzz. When asked, he would say that it was because Eva had fuzzy hair (she was a baldy). Well, that look is back, again.

Here she is. For me, I've had my cry-out in the car on the way home. I am saved, of course, by the fact that she is so adorable with or without hair.

Thank you, Stephen, again for your friendship and your superior hair dressing skills!

Oh Oh, We're Halfway There, Oh Oh Livin' on a Prayer!

You know, I always love the days when I can sneak in a Bon Jovi reference into my blog. I loves me some Bon Jovi.

Well, we are, in fact, halfway there. Eva had her second round of chemo yesterday. It went ok. Last night, of course, the vomiting arrived and Jon and I were all hands on deck. Poor Nubbin, she did not know what hit her. Jon and I are alternating nights and it was mine last night. So, it was a long night.

Several of you have been asking exactly what Eva is taking, here's the plan:

Round 1-Done

Carboplatin-1 hr in 1 day

Etoposide-1 hr per day for 3 days

Round 2-Done

Carboplatin-1 hr in 1 day

Cyclophosphamide-1 hr in 1 day

Doxorubicin-1 hr in 1 day

Round 3

Cyclophosphamide-1 hr in 1 day

Etoposide-1 hr per day for 3 days

Round 4

Carboplatin-1 hr in 1 day

Etoposide-1 hr per day for 3 days

Doxorubicin-1 hr for 1 day

Each round is three weeks apart from the other one. If we keep to schedule, meaning Eva can receive chemo on the days that she is scheduled, we will finish the week of Thanksgiving.

The day is long because you need two hours of IV hydration prior to chemo and two hours after. She also gets a shot for nausea that takes 15 min and a 30 min antibiotic.

So, there is lots of time to kill in a little room at the doctor's office. Eva felt fine, though, and asked to see her Imagination Movers dvd every thirty seconds. Eva, do you want to eat? Answer, "Movers!!!" Eva, do you want your paci? Answer, "Movers!!" I tried to mix it up a little bit and found a High School Musical cd in the Child Life area. Any music is fine by Eva. Alas, she could not be dissuaded from her beloved "Movers!!!" By the time it got to "We're All in this Together", Eva would not stop saying "Movers! Movers!! MOVERS!!!" Fine.

Yesterday, her counts were low. She had such high counts last week I think I was riding high a bit. Well, they were not a "false reading" but they were definitely altered by her neupogen shots. Dr. Lenarsky said that while her counts were low, she was "normal for a chemotherapy patient."

Her counts will continue to go down and be at their lowest on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Eva's 2nd birthday is Monday so I'm really hoping she feels well enough to celebrate some.

Today, she is doing well. Her beloved Imagination Movers have a tv show in Disney now so we have it taped on our DVR. She has been asking all day to watch it and demands that we dance along with her. If we are not in the room, she comes to get us and just yells, "Movers, Dance!" Quite the dancing dictator, Little Nubbin. I wish I had filmed her in the crib dancing yesterday and today in the den. Hilarious.

Tomorrow, I'm taking her to get her head shaved. She's lost so much hair even since yesterday, there is no need to keep the few strands she has left because you can't really apply any sunscreen without making a big mess. I think I'll be ok. Think.

Anyway, here she is in her crib yesterday at the doctor's office. Paci in her mouth, paci in her hand and you can't see it but she is holding another paci in the other hand. She cracks me up. My sister gave her the shirt she is wearing. She is, indeed, one brave chick.

Random Thoughts

Ok, won't call this a confession because actually, it is Thursday night. So, it is now, just random thoughts. Forgive my stream of consciousness.

Where have I been?

Well, apparently working 5:30a-5:00p can make you awfully tired. For the past two weeks, I've been going to bed at 8:30.
***************
Up with the Eva news first. She's doing great. Great. So well, in fact, that our doctors told us we did not need to come in this week for counts. Her WBC is higher than mine, I think.

We start chemo round 2 on Monday. I'm not looking forward to that at all.
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Jon told me yesterday while I was sitting at my desk that Eva's hair has started to fall out. I completely fell apart at my desk and was useless the rest of the day. Just could not get it together about it. I think I had been in a bit of denial but when the hair started falling out, it just became so real. I just kept thinking, is she scared because she does not know what is going on?

So, when I went home, she came running up and pulled a wad of her hair out, said, "Look Mommy!" and then busted out laughing so hard she fell on the floor. So, to Eva, it's just a fun new party trick. Hey, look at me, betcha I can do something YOU can't do!

That makes it a bit easier.

For us, Jon said when you kiss her it is like kissing a cat. You get a mouthful of hair.
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Have had a busy week. Can't even talk about all the goings on because it has been so much. Car blew a tire and had a huge adventure that day, went to a cocktail party for the King Tut exhibit here in Dallas, saw the exhibit twice, went to the state fair, work work work work. I've got lots to blog about so will catch up when I get back.

SOOO excited but am heading to VA for my 20 year high school reunion this weekend! YIPPEE! I'm staying with my girlfriend, SG, who has said that I don't need to even get out of bed this weekend. Ahhhhhhhhh....